Student killed as forces open fire in Shopian

A student was killed when government forces opened fire on civilian protesters who disrupted a cordon-and-search operation in this south Kashmir district on Tuesday evening and helped militants escape, police and reports said.

Giving details, a police official said following “inputs” about presence of militants, the government forces cordoned off Ganapora village in Shopian district, four kms from district headquarters, this evening and launched searches

“As the cordon was laid, youth took to streets and pelted stones on forces who retaliated with tear-gas shells and bullets to disperse the protesters,” sources said.

“As the clashes were on, one youth sustained bullet injury on his chest.”

The injured youth, identified as 19-year-old Adil Ahmad Magray son of Farooq Ahmad of Ganapora Shopian, was rushed to district hospital where doctors declared him as brought dead. Adil, a BA first year student at Shopian degree college, was eldest among five brothers.

“The youth was brought dead to the hospital. He had bullet injury on his chest,” medical superintendent of Shopian district hospital, Nazir Ahmad said.

Sources said several other youth sustained injuries during clashes.

A police officer said militants took advantage of the clashes and escaped from the gunfight site.

As the word about Adil’s killing spread, people came out of their houses and staged massive pro-freedom protests and fought pitched battles with forces. The clashes were on when this report was filed late on Tuesday evening.

POLICE VERSION

In a statement, a police spokesman said: “Security forces cordoned off some houses on a specific input regarding the presence of militants at Ganawpora in Shopian district this evening. During the search operation, an ‘unruly mob’ started heavy stone-pelting on the forces and also a brief exchange of fire took place. One person was brought to District Hospital with bullet injury from Ganawpora who subsequently succumbed to his injury. The deceased was later on identified as Adil Farooq Magray of Ganawpora. Search of the area is going on.”